Councillors will receive mandatory training as part of a new commitment to make the borough a more supportive place for people with Special Educational Needs & Disabilities (SEND).

It was just one of a number of measures to make Cheshire West and Chester a 'SEND friendly' borough unanimously backed by full council at a recent meeting.

The motion was proposed by Northwich Leftwich councillor Andrew Cooper and acknowledged the ‘profound disappointment’ felt by some families living in Cheshire West.

It comes on the heels of a protest recently held outside the council's HQ by CWaC SEND Accountability - a group comprised of parents who say they have been 'let down' by local services.

As a result of the motion being passed, the council resolved to do the following:

  • Support families who have children with SEND through the council’s existing SEND service, school communities, and Integrated Care Board to improve working practices, increase resources to address the increased demand and create greater inclusion.
  • Find innovative ways to support those that work with SEND to fulfil their legal obligations as in the Children and Families Act 2014 and the SEND code of practice.
  • Encourage and enable greater opportunity for co-production with the Parent Carer Forum to create systems that are more user friendly for families.
  • Work with employers, schools and the third sector to increase opportunities for as they prepare for adulthood.
  • Create more SEND friendly environments in the community.
  • Organise mandatory SEND training for all councillors.
  • Support the cross-party call by the LGA for national SEND reform and increased funding.
  • Work with the Department of Education and Ofsted to fully embed the recommendations from the high needs review and liaise with the LGA to institute a peer-led review into the service.

The move was welcomed by the the Parent Carer Forum (PCF), an independent body that represents families of children and young people with SEND and sits on the Learning Disability Partnership Board.

A PCF spokeswoman, said: "The PCF thanks councillors for passing this motion and looks forward to implementing the recommendations from the report.

"The motion to become a more inclusive borough will enhance efforts to support individuals with SEND in the community, reaffirming the PCF’s recommendations and underscoring the importance of working in equal partnership with leaders from all sectors of SEND services."

She also thanked parents and carers who participated in its recent survey.

She added: "We have read hundreds of comments from survey participants, and each one has touched our hearts.

"We assure parent carers that their voices have been heard and fed back to leaders in the council and the SEND Strategy Board.

"As a result, there is a commitment from those at the top to address concerns in equal partnership with parents and carers."